Mendocino County Sheriff's K-9 officer dies in fall

A German Shepherd serving as a K-9 officer with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office died Friday during an accident while not on duty, the MCSO reported.

According to the MCSO, Argus, a 2-year-old German Shepherd assigned to Deputy Craig Walker, fell 30-feet after jumping off a building and died instantly.

The fall occured around 11:45 a.m. Feb. 8 when the dog was off-duty and got out of an enclosed back yard and apparently wandered up onto a nearby building. When Walker called for the dog, Argus "responded immediately to his handler's call and was not aware of the height of the structure" he leapt off of.

Argus had been brought to the United States from Slovakia and had been assigned with Walker for approximately six months prior to his death. He assisted Walker on his patrol duties in Anderson Valley, providing handler protection duties, fugitive apprehension and drug detection.

Argus made a recent visit to the Anderson Valley School District where the students met him and learned about the K-9 duties related to law enforcement.

The MCSO notes that Argus will be remembered as "devoted, courageous, and loyal," and will be missed by Walker and his family and everyone in the sheriff's office, which will be seeking another K-9 officer.